Tieless shoelace fastener



Dec. 9, 1941. R. J. ASTON 2,265,884

TIELESS SHOELACE FASTENER Filed April 29, 1940 INVENTOR P049527 J. 4570M ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIELESS SHOELACE FASTENER Robert Jeremiah Aston, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application April 29, 1940, Serial No. 332,325 1 Claim. (01. 24-121) Yet another object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable shoe lace fastener construction of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture,

easy to manipulate, and yet practical and efficient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described,

and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front, partial, perspective view of part of a shoe provided with shoe lace fastener construction, embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of F18. 2; v

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating further progress in the lacing of the shoe laces;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the shoe laces fully laced;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the blank from which the clip is made; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a shoe provided with lace fastener construction, embodying the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, it designates a shoe split down the front, as at H, to form a pair of edge portions 12 formed with spaced openings is to receive a shoe lace 13a.

The shoe it is provided with a tongue 14 carrying a lace fastener clip 15 embodying the invention. The clip 55 may bemade from a single blank 56 of sheet metal shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing. The clip it comprises a rear portion ii curved forwardly and rearwardiy as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Extending rearwardly from the sides or lower end of the rear portion ii, are arms 58 penetrating the tongue is, the outer ends of said portions being bent outwardly, as at 59, against the inner surface of the tongue.

Extending from the lower end of rear portion I1 is an upwardly, rearwardlyand forwardly curved portion 20. Thus, the portions l1 and 20 form a lower loop 2|, from which there extends a restricted neck portion 22 terminating in an open mouth portion 23.

The'clip I5 is located-adjacent the upper end of the tongue and is located on the longitudinal axis of the tongue.

Portion l'l' decreases in width upwardly forming a neck Ila from which there extends a round head no. Portion 20 likewise decreases in width upwardly forming a neck 20a from which there extends a round head 20b.

The outer ends of the laces l3a may be attached to the clip in any suitable manner, preferably however, the laces are attached in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawing. The laces may be first crossed and inserted into the clip. Then, one of the laces is wound around the portion 20 of the clip. Then, the other lace is wound around said portion of the clip, and then, the laces may be looped upon themselves and pressed into the neck portion 22 of the clip.

Obviously, the laces may be tied to the clip in any desired manner, and it has been found that the laces will be held by the clip against accidentally loosening, and furthermore, the clip holds the tongue against sliding down.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A shoe lace fastener adapted to be attached to the tongue of a shoe comprising a one-piece member having a rear portion, a pair of short,

spaced arms extending rearwardly from said portion intermediate the ends thereof, said arms adapted to pierce the tongue and the ends of' the arms to be bent against the rear surface of said tongue, a front portion extending upwardly from the lower end of the rear portion with a loop connecting said portions, each of said Dortions having a restricted neck adjacent the upper end thereof and each neck surmounted by a flattened circular head, said portions being in slightly spaced relation throughout the length thereof with said heads located in intersecting planes forming an open flaring mouth above said necks.

nosm'r JEREMIAH ASTON. 

